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Avoid hoarding up problems by sourcing all timber on site responsibly

Just because construction site hoarding is temporary doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have to be considered as part of a responsible sourcing strategy. Despite the fact that many clients and contractors are now insisting on greater levels of sustainability across all aspects of projects, this is one area that is being overlooked when it comes to timber sourcing.

The European Timber Regulation (EUTR) stipulates that all timber used on construction sites needs to be legally sourced. This means ALL timber, from that used in construction of the building to the hoardings used to shield the site from prying eyes. Timber hoardings may also be used to convey an appropriate message to the outside world. This might include a project’s sustainability credentials as part of promotional information about the developers’ and contractors’ CSR efforts, all designed to give the local and wider community a feel good factor about the project.

However trumpeting a project as a leading example of sustainability on hoardings which breach regulations on responsible sourcing, no matter how temporary they are or how good the rest of the site is, is an irony which might lead some to seriously doubt the integrity of the project’s other claims. Cheap Chinese plywood accounts for a large chunk of the problem. A recent report by the National Measurement Office found that only two of the 16 companies investigated which import Chinese timber met the requirements of the EU Timber Regulation for due diligence in the sourcing of legally harvested timber.

The issues around imported plywood extend far beyond variable quality to mislabelling of products as certain species which they subsequently turn out not to be. Greenpeace has campaigned to end the use of illegal and destructive rainforest plywood since 2000. It found evidence that a large quantity of Chinese plywood was faced with veneers from slow growing tropical species sourced from endangered rainforests. By contrast SmartPly, part of Coillte the Irish forestry company, has access to sustainable, well managed fast growing softwood timber. OSB, unlike plywood, uses forest thinnings which are smaller diameter logs unsuited for use by the sawmills, therefore maximising the overall resource.

The concerns over illegal timber extend beyond the actual material itself to the pay, reward and working conditions for those harvesting timber or laying out the plies of material for plywood production. Sustainability is not just about protecting vulnerable resources but also ensuring the preservation of community and individual economic sustainability.

The big problem in the UK construction industry is making sure that timber hoardings are seen as part of the whole construction project when it comes to product specification and timber sourcing. On the whole, focus is concentrated on the building, and protection of the site perimeter during construction is left to the contractor who has a lot of other priorities. With one or two exceptions in the form of more enlightened firms, poorer quality and potentially illegal plywood is the dominant choice for hoarding applications, but one which can undermine a project’s sustainability credentials and wider image.

SmartPly SiteProtect OSB offers the answer to the problem, a high quality hoarding solution with a pre-primed smooth finish ready for painting. Manufactured under factory controlled conditions to European standards, dependable product performance is ensured for long lasting looks with no delamination. With raw material supplied from our own well managed local forests we have not only security of supply but also we know exactly what timber we are using, ensuring a robust chain of custody for FSC Certification. This enables clients to have confidence that their sites are compliant with binding UK and European responsible sourcing regulations, and that they are not contributing to the illegal timber trade or unsustainable practices.

To find out more about SmartPly, please visit www.discoversmartply.com.

 

Mike Harrison, Marketing Manager, Coillte Panel Products
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How conflict influences architecture

Cities are busy, hectic and diverse places. When groups of different people are forced to live in close proximities, conflicts can understandably arise. How does architecture influence these conflicts and what role does it play in preventing them?

Metropolises are becoming centres for ethno-national and religious conflicts. However, architecture can make a distinct contribution to the problem through its own spatial understandings and practices as well as strategic planning and building policies. These issues are increasingly urgent and need to be addressed in view of the conflicts that we witness today.

Dr Wendy Pullan, Head of the Department of Architecture, Cambridge University and Director of the Centre for Urban Conflicts Research, will deliver the 2016 RIBA East Spring Lecture ‘Architecture and Urban Conflict: How do they connect?’

Across the world, cities are increasingly becoming centres for ethnic and religious conflicts. Although conflict is a subject that has preoccupied sociologists, geographers and political scientists, architecture is a relative late-comer to the debate. There is a clear advantage to a multidisciplinary approach, yet architecture makes a distinct contribution.

Destruction and devastation present unique opportunities to radically rethink our environment. Strategic planning and building policies can be found to enhance particular political views. Architecture is fragile, yet architects have the power to instigate change. This lecture will address these issues, focusing on work done by the Centre for Urban Conflicts Research at the Cambridge Department of Architecture.

Dr Wendy Pullan received the Royal Institute of British Architects‘ inaugural President’s Award for University-Led Research for work on Conflict in Cities.

The ‘Architecture and Urban Conflict: How do they Connect?’ Talk is part of a series of events based around the subject of the RIBA Exhibition ‘Creation from Catastrophe – How architecture rebuilds communities’, which explores the varying ways that cities and communities have been re-imagined in the aftermath of natural or man-made disasters.

Book your tickets here.

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Will 3D printing spark another industrial revolution?

First we saw hand-production methods, with highly skilled craftsmen wielding untold knowledge and expertise over the structural properties of material and the best way to implement them within a design. Then the industrial revolution changed everything, with machinery and complex equipment trumping traditional handiwork. As the digital age ticks on and technologies such as 3D printing ever improve, is the construction industry on the brink of yet another industrial revolution?

Development of 3D printing actually began in the 1980’s, however it wasn’t until around 2010 that the technology experienced a paradigm shift in opinion regarding its usefulness. Initially considered ‘newfangled,’ expensive and improbable to take off, the process of 3D printing soon began to grab the attention of avant garde architects, designers and progressive construction professionals worldwide.

The pros

In contributing to the built environment, 3D printing has thus far been used to create small, complex components to be implemented in a hybrid design of new and old methods and even to ‘print’ entire buildings. Chinese materials firm Yingchuang New Materials recently produced 10 3D-printed buildings in just 24hrs, using a custom-built printing machine that outputs layers of construction waste mixed with cement. See video below:

With government aims to end the housing crisis within a generation, could 3D printing exponentially shorten the ETA?

Other technologies that are rapidly developing within the sector are also abetting a future that will lean heavily towards 3D printing. Industry-wide use CAD and the rise in usage of building information modelling (BIM) in particular will enable greater use of 3D printing, as much of the information necessary to create a building via computer aided manufacturing will exist as a result of the design process.

3D printing would allow faster and more accurate construction of complex structures and components, whilst simultaneously lowering labour costs and waste production. It might also enable construction to be undertaken in harsh, dangerous environments previously unobtainable by a human workforce – expanding our horizons.

The cons

As well as a wealth of positives, there are equal concerns regarding a 3D printed future. Systemised construction has never been highly successful in the UK. There was a brief boom in panelised systems for high-rise apartment blocks and pre-fab housing following the Second World War, but frankly they were ugly, lacked character and were plagued with condensation problems.

Printers could also pose a threat to the existing workforce, reducing employee numbers throughout the industry, as ostensibly the 3D printer could do the majority of the work.

Read more: Construction begins on Europe’s largest floating solar farm
Watch: How London’s skyline will evolve if the 250 high rise towers planned or underway in the capital go ahead as planned!

Currently, only a limited number of materials can be used, since the same printer might not be able to print the required multiple materials to deliver the rich and diverse built environment we all need to thrive. In addition, utilising the technology on a building site would require expensive and complex equipment, and whilst it is possible to envisage using some simplified version to manufacture specialist components on a more industrial scale, it remains debatable as to whether the method would offer an attractive return in comparison to bricks and mortar.

The bigger picture

Obviously 3D printing has infinite potential in a wide variety of areas outside of construction, such as creating clothing, instruments, prosthetics, art, food, tools and – controversially – weaponry; to name but a few examples. As it becomes easier for businesses to transmit designs for new objects around the globe via the medium of internet, the need for freight services, manual skills and traditional manufacturing and transport techniques might deplete massively. This would result in an entirely different culture; a society free from import and export which could ultimately make or break entire global economies.

American economist and Nobel Prize winner Michael Spence says “the world we are entering is one in which the most powerful global flows will be ideas and digital capital, not goods, services, and traditional capital. Adapting to this will require shifts in mind-sets, policies, investments (especially in human capital), and quite possibly models of employment and distribution.”

Rome wasn’t built in a day but perhaps one day it could be printed in one. We just may be on the brink of the next chapter in our commercial and industrial history, will you say “viva la revolución” or do you stand as a proud Luddite, protecting our current way of life against the influx of technology that could serve as a blight to us as a species?

What are your thoughts on 3D printing? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Midland Lead launches new cladding solution at RCI 2016

Midland Lead, leading British manufacturer of machine cast lead, launched a new range of metal cladding solutions at this year’s RCI Show; the UK’s annual roofing, cladding and insulation event.

Industry professionals visiting Midland Lead’s stand were given the opportunity to see the firm’s new customised cladding range for individual facades, available in zinc, copper, aluminium and lead.

With the company’s machine cast lead having been successfully used to weatherproof a number of prestigious projects across the UK construction sector over the past 30 years, Managing Director Boudewijn Tuinenburg explains that diversifying into metal cladding was a natural progression for Midland Lead and a response to customer demand.

“Having established our reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality lead sheet, we’ve built up extensive expertise in the metals arena. Keen to expand our offering, metal cladding was a natural bolt-on to our current product range and a great way to offer our customer base a new range of architectural design solutions,” says Boudewijn.

As well as opening up new possibilities for a building’s aesthetics and working to preserve the structure, the new metal cladding solution is an environmentally-friendly, lightweight, weatherproof product that offers a full suite of practical features, including fast installation, low maintenance, large panel size opportunities and pre-fabrication options.

Launched under Midland Lead’s Construction arm, the introduction marks part of a longer-term strategy that will see the firm diversify into differing markets and products, alongside its core business of manufacturing and suppling machine cast lead.

For more information please visit www.midlandlead.co.uk.

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Wind turbines set to reach mega heights with new techniques

Wind turbine towers are set to reach heights of up to 170m with new construction techniques and materials, according to wind power engineering specialists K2 Management. Tower heights have grown steadily over the last decade as operators seek stronger wind speeds higher up in the atmosphere.

Based on work with various clients across the globe, K2 Management believes new technology developments like modular concrete structures mean turbine heights are likely to soar to up to 170m in the coming years – higher than London’s ‘Gherkin’, and almost as high as the Eiffel Tower. This compares to the tallest towers of 150m at present. There has been a 48% increase in average hub height since 1999, and based on its experience in the industry and its partnerships, K2 Management has insight on how to manufacture hybrid tower concepts up to 170m.

According to K2 Management wind resource experts, a 3 MW turbine located in a forest area for example, with an average wind speed of 6 meters per second, will meet 13 percent more wind speed if the turbine height doubled from 70 to 140 meters. Annual energy yield prediction would increase by almost 30 percent because of less surface aerodynamic drag and the viscosity of the air.

Therefore, going up to 170 meters from 70 meters will boost energy yield prediction by 35 percent on average. The more complex the terrain – for instance forests, hills, mountain, buildings – the larger the impact is in using taller turbine towers.

K2 Management CEO Henrik Stamer says “170m towers could become a common sight in the near future in markets like the USA and Germany as part of a new renewable skyline. We expect to see more of these mega designs as we help our clients get the most out of their wind projects.”

Through its network of experts across the globe, K2 Management possesses a unique vantage point overlooking the wind industry, allowing for a view into emerging trends. The Company is able to draw on this wide breadth of experience to identify ways of making wind projects more efficient.

Stamer adds: “As a company that is at the global cutting edge of technology we are helping push the limits of the wind industry in terms of power generation efficiency, cost-effectiveness and return on investment; and these new mega wind turbine towers are a case in point.”

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VIDEO: How London’s skyline will evolve if…

…the 250 high rise towers planned or underway in the capital go ahead as planned!

Watch video below:

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From deprivation to dream homes

A panel will look at how the layout of deprived estates can be best regenerated and reused to deliver more quality homes for Britain.

New tenants rights will be at the heart of the regeneration of some of the country’s most deprived estates, Lord Heseltine said this week (9 February 2016).

A panel, who met for the first time today, will look at how the layout of estates can be best used to deliver more quality homes that people can buy and rent.

The experts will also ensure that there are strong protections in place for existing residents so they will always be given the right to return to their communities.

The 17-strong group, co-chaired by Lord Heseltine and Housing Minister Brandon Lewis and reporting to the Prime Minister and Communities Secretary Greg Clark, will develop a national estate regeneration strategy and work with up to 100 estates to tackle deprivation and transform them into vibrant communities.

The Prime Minister announced last month that £140 million would be made available to jump-start the regeneration. The loan funding will allow communities to lever in investment from the public and private sector to deliver ambitious projects that local people can be proud of.

Lord Heseltine said “Estates regeneration is key to transforming the lives of people living on poorly designed housing projects. The panel will provide expert advice, support and explore innovative funding solutions to drive forward the regeneration of estates around the country.”

“However, I am clear that this has to be locally led and we must work with the residents of such estates. I now want to see local communities coming forward with innovative ideas to achieve desirable neighbourhoods that local people can be proud of.”

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said “We know these estates offer huge potential to be revived so that they become thriving communities and places which people want to live and work in.”

“This panel provides a wealth of experience to kick-start work that will help transform the lives of thousands of people by delivering better homes in better estates.”

The panel met at the York Road Estate in Battersea, London where plans are being developed for a major regeneration scheme.

Wandsworth Council leader and panel member Ravi Govindia said “I’m delighted to join panel and to play a part in unlocking the great potential of our country’s housing estates.”

“Here in Battersea we are demonstrating that estate regeneration can be done with the support of the local community. Our approach is centred firmly on improving the lives of Winstanley and York estate residents and to providing new opportunities and better life chances.”

Future meetings will be held at estates across the country. Members are:

  • Councillor Ravi Govindia, leader of Wandsworth Council
  • Nicholas Boys Smith, director of Create Streets, a social enterprise and independent research institute which pushes for well designed estates
  • Andrew Boff, leader of the Greater London Authority Conservatives housing group
  • Elaine Bailey, chief executive, from Hyde Housing Association, which successfully regenerated the Packington Estate in Islington
  • Paul Tennant, chief executive from Orbit Housing Association, which successfully regenerated Erith Estate in Bexley
  • Tony Pidgley, chief executive of Berkeley Homes – a lead partner on various estate regenerations across London
  • Peter Vernon, chief executive of Grosvenor Estates
  • Jane Duncan, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
  • Ben Bolgar, director of Design Theory and Networks at the Prince’s Foundation
  • Dominic Grace, head of London Residential Development at estates agents Savills
  • Emma Cariaga from the British Land and Thames Valley Housing Association
  • David Budd, Mayor of Middlesbrough
  • Natalie Elphicke, chief executive of the Housing & Finance Institute
  • Graham Allen, MP for Nottingham North
  • Felicie Krikler, associate director at Assael Architecture

The group will now work with a range of local stakeholders, including communities, local authorities, landlords, investors, builders, housing associations, and anyone else with ideas and ambition. It will draw up the national strategy for estate regeneration by the autumn. Its objectives include:

  • providing strong protection for existing residents, such as rights of return
  • delivering more homes for rent and ownership
  • delivering homes more quickly
  • promote high standards of design to provide commercially viable schemes which have the potential to be self-financing
  • encouraging and attracting more private and public sector investment to help regenerate estates

Britain is building again with the number of new homes up 25% in the past year and revived estates will play an important part in providing good quality social and affordable housing, and offering people the chance to achieve their dream of home ownership.

Wandsworth Council has announced ambitious plans to regenerate the neighbouring York Road and Winstanley Estates in Battersea, which will see more than 2,000 new home built. A range of affordable homes will provided for people to buy or rent at below market rates and the number of social rent properties will increase.

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Zedfactory to unveil groundbreaking solution to homes shortage at Ecobuild

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Industry renowned architects and pioneers of the zero carbon agenda, Zedfactory, are set to unveil a groundbreaking solution to the housing shortage at Ecobuild. The solution claims to require no land whilst offering zero energy bills and the ability to relocate the property in the future, providing next generation future proofing.

The Government has pledged to build 400,000 homes over the life of this Parliament and there is currently little sign of that being delivered. In addition, as towns and cities expand, buildings are being demolished as a result of them no longer being suited to requirements. There needs to be an alternative visionary on how this will happen and Zedfactory believe they have found a solution.

Founded by Bill Dunster, OBE, Zedfactory are well-renowned as leaders in the field of zero-carbon design and development. Offering the full range of architectural services, from master-planning and design of large-scale ‘eco villages’ to one-off individual building commissions, the company has a unique track record of pioneering Zero (fossil) Energy Development (ZED) buildings in the UK.

ZEDfactory collaborates with the best global industrial partners to deliver replicable new construction industry solutions to assist timeless problems ranging from zero carbon urban design, architecture and product design in many climatic zones at a wide range of densities.

By looking at the way in which towns and cities grow and how the needs of their occupants change, coupled with unrivalled expertise in the creation of low energy buildings, Zedfactory have created a solution that could change the way the UK builds new homes.

ZEDliving – which will be exclusively unveiled at Ecobuild – is an affordable urban lifestyle solution that creates homes that require requiring no land, have no energy bills, no carbon footprint and help to reduce air pollution.

“If an affordable and low risk future powered by renewable energy is now possible, it is irresponsible not to provide it given accelerating climatic change,” commented Bill Dunster. “ZEDliving offers this. We are refining the zero carbon agenda and making it economically viable today by our homes being capable of having net zero annual energy bills. This offers a tangible benefit to everyone affected by rising fuel prices.”

“We are thrilled that Zedfactory have chosen Ecobuild to unveil ZEDliving, a unique solution to the delivery of future homes,” commented Martin Hurn Ecobuild Event Director. “Zedfactory has a reputation for delivering architecture that challenges and inspires. Their new solution looks set to continue this trend.”

Zedfactory will be exhibiting on stand number E4220. For further information about Ecobuild 2016 which takes place from 8th to 10th March at London’s ExCeL, please visit www.ecobuild.co.uk.

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Planning With Half a Mind; Why Planners Resist Emotion

Many planners ignore people’s emotions when they analyse social problems, and as a result planners often get things wrong, according to ‘Planning Theory & Practice,’ published by Taylor & Francis.’

Planners aim to change how people act including where they live, locate a business, send children to school, with whom, how, and where they travel, and where and on what they spend money.

Planning successfully depends on understanding what motivates people. However most planners continue to ignore how people think and act emotionally, despite social sciences and other professions waking up to the power of emotions as they recognise their influence on how people act. In the article, ‘Planning with half a mind: Why planners resist emotion’ published in Planning Theory & Practice, Howell Baum indicates that the few planners who recognise emotional concerns are more successful than the planners who ignore them.

So, if emotions matter, why do planners ignore them?

Historically, planners gained authority for their profession by claiming to solve problems rationally, without giving any attention to residents’ emotions or their own. As a result, planners who identify with the profession must ignore emotions if they want authority. Crucially, the reason society values planners’ claim to ignore emotions and gives them authority for doing so comes from the culture of the Enlightenment, which regards emotion as a threat to reason and encourages people to pretend they have no emotions. Baum posits that by its very nature, planning as a profession will always resist thinking about emotions, resulting in unrealistic and ineffective planning.

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World’s largest offshore wind farm to be built in the UK

DONG Energy confirms a positive Final Investment Decision for Hornsea One offshore wind farm off the coast of Grimsby in Northern England.

This morning, Wednesday 3 February, the board of directors at DONG Energy confirmed a positive Final Investment Decision for Hornsea One offshore wind farm off the coast of Grimsby in Northern England, meaning that construction can now go ahead.

Located 75 miles off the Yorkshire coast and capable of powering over one million UK homes with a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts, Hornsea One will be – by a considerable margin – the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

The project has the potential to create around 2,000 jobs during its construction, with up to 300 additional jobs supported throughout its 20-25 year operational phase. A new Siemens blade factory in Hull, due to be built by the end of this year, will support the project, boosting a Northern and UK wide supply chain.

Hornsea One is expected to be fully operational in 2020.

Energy Secretary Amber Rudd said “Thanks to Government support the UK is the world leader in offshore wind energy and this success story is going from strength to strength. Dong Energy’s investment shows that we are open for business and is a vote of confidence in the UK and in our plan to tackle the legacy of under-investment and build an energy infrastructure fit for the 21st century.”

“This project means secure, clean energy for the country, jobs and financial security for working people and their families, and more skills and growth boosting the Northern Powerhouse.”

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